Keyless padlock.



N. A. BOURQUIN.

KEYLESS PADLOGK.

APPLICATION FILED :UNE 1, 1916.

1,201,546. 'Ptend oct. 11,1916.

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cured to the block and to each other by rivl NITED ES NUMA A. BOURQUIN, OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA.

KEYLESS PADLOCK.

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 17, 1916.

Application led J' une 1, 1916. Serial No. 101,180.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, NUMA A. BoimQUIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Reading, in the county of Berks and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Keyless Padlocks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to keyless padlocks, and more particularly to permutation padlocks.

The main objects of the invention are to provide a padlock of simple and durable construction which may be locked, or unlocked, without the aid of the key.

A further object is to provide a lock of this character which can be made at very small cost.

These and further objects are attained by the invention hereinafter described.

In the drawings z-Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of my padlock in locked position, Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1 looking down, and Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2 looking in the` direction of the arrow.

Broadly speaking my lock comprises a casing provided with elongated slots, a U- shackleV mounted in and removable from said slots, and notched disks which may be positioned so as to optionally permit or prevent the withdrawal of the U-shackle.

The casing consists of a top plate 1, a bottom plate 2, and a block 3 positioned between the two plates, the plates being seets 4 passed therethrough.

For the sake of clearness in description the end of the lock at which the rotatable disks are positioned will be termedthe inner end, and the other end of the lock will be termed the outer end.

At the inner end of the casing there is secured a bolt or standard 5, the ends of which are reduced to form gudgeons 6 which are secured in apertures through the plates 1 and 2; Rotatably mounted upon the standard 5 are a plurality of superposed concentric disks 7. Each of these disks has its outer periphery divided into a number of equal segments by vertical channels 7, each disk being provided with twenty-seven segments in all. Each disk is further provided, near its center, with an arcuate slot 8. This slot extends from the outer periphery of the standard 5 to a distance slightly beyond the outer edge of a rib 9 formed on the standard and 1s a little greater than 120 degrees in length. This permits rotation of each of the disks through a distance corresponding to ten of the peripheral segments. These ten segments are numbered consecutively from Zero to nine. Each disk is further provided with a peripheral rectangular notch 10 for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

The top plate 1 is provided with a slot 11 at the center of its outer end which is in register with a slot 12 extending through the central block 3; the top plate is further provided with a rectangular aperture 13 which is in register with the vertical arm of the L-shaped slot 14 extending through the block 3, the slot 14 being in alinement with the slot 11 and having-its inner edge on a line tangent to the periphery of the cylinder formed by the disks 7. The inner slot and aperture are of the same width as the notches 10 of the disks.

A U-shackle 15 is adapted to be mounted in the slots and apertures formed in the casing. The outer arm of this shackle is of the same width as the outer slot 11 but its cross section is of considerable less length than the length of the slot 11. The inner arm of this'bolt is of a cross area corresponding to the cross area of the vertical arm of the L- slot 14, and is formed at its lower end with an integral lug or hook member 16 adapted to fit into the horizontal arm of the L-slot 14. rIhe aperture -13 is' similar to the aperture 11.

As above stated the segments of the disks 7 which can be exposed are numbered from zero to nine. By-rotating the disks so as to bring all of the notches 10 in alinement and in register with the'slot 14 and aperture 13, a vertical passage is provided for the inner arm of the U-shackle of a length considerably greater than the cross sectional length of the said inner arm. vThis increase in length is slightly greater than the length of the hook 16 so that, when the disks are positioned as above described, the shackle can be slid inward a sufficient distance to disengage the hook 16 from the shoulder of the L-slot 14, after which the shackle may be lifted out of the casing thus releasing or unlocking the lock.

In order that the disks 7 may be rotated freely and without interfering with each other, washers 17 are interposed between the disks. These washers are cut out or notched to lit over the rib 9 of the standard 5. This effectually locks each washer against rotation and renders it possible to rotate each diskV independently of the other disks.

To secure the U-shackle 15 in the casing, it is only necessary to insert the arms into the apertures and then move the shackle outwardly so as to bring the hook 16 into the horizontal arm of the E -slot 111, after which the disks 7 are rotated so as to bring the notches 10 out of alinement. This renders it impossible to move the U-shackle inward so as to disengage the hook 16 so that the shackle cannot be removed from the casing, as will be clear from Fig. 4 of the drawings.

In order to insure proper operation of `a padlock of this type it is, of course, essential that the locking disks be maintained in true position and not bent or distorted in any way. For this reason I so construct my lock that all strains such as would result from an attempt to force the lock, or from any other cause, will be exerted on the block 3 of the casing which is made very strong and heavy for this purpose, and not on the disks 7. Vith the shackle in operative position, if it is attempted to force the lock by inserting a bar or the like between the shackle. and the casing, all pressure which results from thus subjecting the shackle to tension will be transmitted directly to the casing by means of the central block 3. This feature is of importance for the reasons above noted.

Obviously, by interchanging the disks 7 and altering the relative positions of the arcuate slots 8, a lock which can be opened with any desired combination of numbers can be produced. In this particular case the disks and the notches 10, and the arcuate slots 8, are so related that by rotating the disks so as to form the number 1324 in vertical alinement with the indicator mark 18 on the top plate 1, the lock may be opened. Of course, as above pointed out, any combination desired may be used for any particular lock.

The inner arm 15 of the shackle 15 is provided with a horizontal offset or lug 19 which extends in the opposite direction to the hook 16. This lug is lso situated as to lit snugly against the outer surface of the top plate 1 when the shackle is in operative position, and serves to effectually close the inner portion of the aperture 13. This not only prevents entry of dust, grit, or other foreign matter in the lock but, also, prevents the insertion of an instrument into the interior of the lock so as to pick the same by bringing the disks 7 into position to permit withdrawal of the shackle 15.

It will be obvious that certain changes may be made in the details of yarrangement and construction of my invention and T intend to include all such variations, as fall within the scope of the appended claim, in this application wherein the preferred form only of my invention is disclosed.

I am aware that it has been proposed to construct'padlocks having movable shackles and rotatably apertured disks for controlling the movement of the same, but, so far as I am aware, none of these padlocks are so constructed that the lock controlling disks are entirely relieved of all strains such as would result were it attempted to force the lock. I do not claim broadly the combination of a lock having a movable shackle and rotary notched disks controlling the movement of the shackle.

What T claim is The combination with a casing consisting of a top plate, a bottom plate, and an intermediate block, the said top plate formed with horizontally alined apertures, and the block being formed with an outer vertical slot in register with the outer aperture of the top plate, and an inner L-shaped slot with its vertical arm in register with the inner aperture of the top plate; of a series of superposed independently rotatable disks, each of which has limited rotary movement; and a U-shackle, the arms of which are adapted to t into the apertures of the top plate and the slots of the said block, the inner arm of the said shackle being formed with a hook at its lower end adapted to fit into the horizontal arm of the E -slot when the shackle is in operative position, and a lug so positioned as to close the part of the inner aperture of the top plate not occupied by the inner arm of the shackle., when the bolt is in operative position.

Tn testimony whereof T afi'iX my signature in presence' of two witnesses.

NUMA A. BOURQUTN. Witnesses @SCAR VVANNER, T. SLEMHENHAUER.

Copies of this patent mav be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

